Chamber, Destination Missoula team up on new visitor, relocation guide

By Martin KidstonJune 13, 2017

The Hip Strip comes to life, as seen from the top floor of the new Stockman Bank building in downtown Missoula. The Missoula Chamber of Commerce and Destination Missoula will team up to launch a new Missoula Visitor and Relocation Guide this fall, with a circulation of 115,000 copies. (Martin Kidston/Missoula Current)

The publication will also be distributed across the country in a new push to market Missoula’s offerings to a wider audience. It looks to reduce duplication while doing more to promote the city’s business scene and its attractions to visitors and residents alike.

“We’re expanding our distribution through this partnership,” Clint Burson, director of government affairs at the chamber, said Monday. “The Chamber’s previous distribution was 10,000. Were taking that up to 115,000 copies, and that’s a huge swing in distribution for us.”

In September, the two organizations will publish a combined Missoula Visitor and Relocation Guide, with 115,000 copies distributed across the U.S. and Canada. The guide will also include a digital version, Burson said.

At the same time, the Chamber will unveil a new website that will integrate more efficiently with Destination Missoula’s web presence.

“Stronger integration between our organizations allows us to showcase Missoula even more, reaching a wide range of audiences and making sure we tell the story of this great place,” said Barbara Neilan, executive director of Destination Missoula.

Little more than a decade ago, Destination Missoula was housed within the Missoula Chamber of Commerce. It went solo roughly 12 years ago, and the two organizations have been producing independent publications ever since.

“It’s been a lot of overlap with what the Destination Missoula visitor guide was,” Burson said. “This pretty much combines the two. We’ll include a more business-focused section on what it’s like to live and work here.”

The combined publication will be distributed to prospective University of Montana students. It will also provide a unified resource for residents, businesses, visitors and those interested in moving to the area, said Kim Latrielle, president and CEO of the chamber.

“We’re taking another step to ensure Missoula is a great place to live and work,” said Latrielle. “Our combined efforts will highlight all Missoula has to offer.”

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